Forbidden
by Today's The Day
Summary: AU He was hired by her mother to protect her. After all, she was the daughter of a diplomat and therefore at high risk of being kidnapped. He was her bodyguard and that was all. She was forbidden fruit; and yet he fell in love anyway. Sonny and Chad, R
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. At all. Zip, zilch, nada, nothing.

Forbidden

By Today's The Day

Chad Dylan Cooper arrived a little before one o' clock at the Munroe Mansion. He glided his shiny black Sudan into its parking space and quickly turned off the engine. Climbing out of the vehicle, he checked his watch once again. He had to be on time. He smoothed down his stiff attire and walked up the stone path to the grand doors that marked the entrance of the more than humble home.

Chad knocked a precise three times on the white steel doors, waiting patiently for them to open. As he stood there, he noticed two security cameras that blended into the scenery. The lenses were directed towards him, watching his every move. The little red blinking lights indicated that whatever he did was being watched and recorded somewhere in the building before him.

He averted his attention back to the steel-plated door as he watched in amazement as they were slowly pulled aside by two burly looking attendants. When they were fully open, he took a hesitant step inside.

"Mrs. Munroe will be with you shortly, sir," said one of the men that had opened the doors. "Please wait here in the foyer until notified otherwise." And with that, the man left to summon the master of the household, leaving Chad alone with the other servant.

Chad absorbed all that was around him, taking every little detail into mind. Two staircases wound up until they met securely in the middle, joined by one connecting set of stairs. The steps were clean marble and were elegantly carpeted by a red satin that emphasized the grandeur of the home. Sturdy, black iron railings bordered the outer reaches of the steps, securing safety to those who ventured up the magnificence of the stairs.

He was surrounded by incredibly high ceilings and walls, all of which were made of the finest plaster that which was fixed by the finest artisans. Gold-gilded frames decorated oil paintings of amazing landscapes and numerous bowls of fruit.

A small, cherry wood table stood daintily by itself in the large foyer. A cup-sized crystal bowl was set in the middle, holding a handful of imported mints. From the looks of it, no one had dared take one of the small candies, for fear that Mrs. Munroe would notice and be angry.

Chad was snapped out of his observances, as he heard approaching footsteps against the marble floors.

"Ah! Mr. Cooper, I am so glad you were able to make it," came a loud, almost jolly sounding voice. Chad nodded respectfully as Mrs. Munroe greeted him. "You don't know how grateful I am to you."

"Of course, ma'am," replied Chad.

Mrs. Munroe laughed. "Mr. Cooper, you may call me Connie. For we shall see a lot of each other now, shall we not?"

"Yes, of course, ma'am-Connie," corrected Chad. "You can call me Chad, if you like."

"Now! Let us discuss your duties here in the Munroe household," started Mrs. Munroe. "You will be acting as my daughter's bodyguard. We will be needing your assistance mainly 24/7. You will work Monday to Saturday with Sundays off. Of course, you _will_ be required to be on call all Sunday, if, we perhaps, need to go on a family outing, per se? Your work hours are 6 AM to 8 PM. Be prepared to work late most nights, though. You will be paid your salary the second Saturday of every month. Lateness and absences in your attendance are unacceptable, and will lead to immediate termination of your job. Now, are there any questions?"

Chad paused for a minute, accepting his fate. "No ma'am."

"Connie."

"Connie, sorry."

"Well then, we're glad to have you aboard! I hear that you are the best at what you do. Hopefully, you won't have to prove your excellence, but if you do, then I most certainly hope that you will pull through."

"I will do my best."

"Well, your best better be sufficient when protecting my daughter."

"Yes ma'am."

"Connie!"

"Sorry, I'm used to calling my bosses by their respective titles."

"Then let it be 'ma'am'. Now shall I introduce you to my daughter?"

Chad nodded silently in response. Mrs. Munroe then led the two-person expedition up the grand staircase and down the carpeted hall. They came upon a simple white door and Mrs. Munroe knocked lightly on it.

"Come in," came a soft voice. Mrs. Munroe opened the door, a grin spreading across his face.

"Sonny!" she bellowed happily. The serious demeanor from before diminished as she saw her daughter. "How are you my sunshine?"

"Hi Mom. I'm good!" she giggled just as cheerfully.

"Good, good. This is Mr. Cooper. He's your new bodyguard, sweetheart," explained Mrs. Munroe.

"Hi! I'm Alison. But my Mom calls me Sonny, so I guess you can, too!" she greeted, smiling.

"Hello Sonny," said Chad, a hint of a smile forming on his lips. The girl before him was only a few years younger than he was. He was shocked to see how friendly and outgoing she was, and even more shocked to see how friendly and outgoing Connie Munroe was when she was with her daughter. Although that was to be expected, seeing as she loved her and she was the center of her whole world.

He examined her, noticing she was a slender girl. There was no way she could ever fend for herself in a fist fight. She had just-below-the-shoulder-length chestnut hair that cascaded down in graceful curls. Her warm, chocolate eyes told of a life of great prosperity and ease. He could see that she had never had to work a day in her life; she was pampered.

She couldn't fight. She never experienced hardship. He didn't particularly enjoy helpless, spoiled brats, but there was something about her that made him pause and re-think his immediate stereo-typing. There was _something_ he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Well I think we'll get along quite well!" announced Sonny, seemingly decided upon what she had just said.

"Yes, I believe so," agreed Chad, nodding solemnly.

"Well then, I'll leave you two to get to know each other. Meet and greet, as I like to call it. And Sonny dear, will you show him around the house? And where he'll be sleeping?" asked Mrs. Munroe.

"Of course, Mom!"

"Thank you sweetheart. I'll be in my office if you need me," said Mrs. Munroe, leaving the two by themselves.

"So I'll take you on a quick tour, okay?" grinned Sonny.

Chad nodded. "Alright."

Sonny walked down the hall, guiding Chad along the way. "That's my Mom's room at the end of the hall. It's not to be entered by you or me. Only the servants get to go in when they're doing the laundry. Otherwise, it's absolutely off limits." She pointed to another door that adorned the hallway. "That's going to be your room. You'll be staying there for as long as you work here." She came to a stop and opened yet another door. "And this is the bathroom, as you can see."

Before Chad could stop and observe it, he was being pulled away. The two of them made their way down the stairs, back into the foyer. Sonny made a curt right, leading them immediately into the dining room. "As you can see, this is where we're going to eat our meals. And this," she paused, gesturing to the next room. "...Is the kitchen. Our Chef makes amazing food here. And this place is also where I come for midnight snacks. I love having Ben and Jerry's Reese's Peanut Butter Cups at one in the morning! The Chef always leaves some out for me. But don't tell my Mom, okay?" giggled Sonny.

Chad smiled. She had a wonderful giggle that sounded much like a chiming of small bells. "Okay."

Sonny then pointed to a door in the kitchen. "That's where the servants sleep. My Mom says not to go in there, but I sometimes do and the maids and I play Monopoly in there. It's really quite fun."

They walked back out of the dining room and back into the foyer. Sonny guided them straight across the foyer, right into the living room. "This is the living room, obviously. I don't usually hang out here. It's for when Mom has guests over. She doesn't want me to accidently break anything." They walked through the enormous room into a smaller one. "This is the game room. There's pool, ping pong, a plasma TV, board games, books, video games...the works. I like this room a lot...but I'm not usually in it since there's no one to play with. But I bet you're good at the Wii, right?" she smiled at Chad.

"I've never played, honestly," he admitted.

"Oh wow, I didn't expect that." They walked through the room and through an archway. "The glass doors lead to the back yard and these small stairs..." she started, and then began to walk up the steps. "...Lead to..." They continued to walk up the stairs. She then inserted a little key into the door pushed up against it. "...My room!" she said happily. "You need a key to get up and down these stairs. And I'm the only one with the key!"

"Well you'll have to make me one," said Chad.

"Why?"

"If I'm going to protect you, I need access to all the places you have access to," he explained calmly.

"But I don't want to give you one!"

"You have to," he answered nonchalantly.

"Fine!"

"Fine."

"Good!"

"Good."

"Great," she muttered under her breath. "Now leave! I want to be alone."

"Fine, whatever," replied Chad, opening the door to her room and then leaving in a huff. Sonny slammed the door shut in haste. She let out a little sigh and then slid down on the floor. The new bodyguard was handsome. Absolutely stunning. He had soft, wind-swept hair and sparkling blue eyes. The moment she had laid eyes on him she had felt her heart start racing. He was gorgeous.

Yes, she had a slight crush on her bodyguard. So what? It was to be expected.

She sat in silence, trying to slow her heart rate. And then she heard it. The soft, tentative knock.

"What?" she snapped, knowing it was _him_.

"Uh...since I'm protecting you, I sort of need to be in the same room as you."

"No."

"Let me in."

"No."

"Come on!"

"No."

"What if your mother comes out and sees?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"That's it, I'm going to get in there."

"No."

There was silence. She thought she heard footsteps walking away, so she sat quietly for a minute. Had he seriously just left her there? She hesitantly pulled the door slightly open. Not being able to see anything, she jerked it open, poking her head outside. She looked down the hall, but didn't see anyone. And then she felt the full slam of the door being opened entirely, and the light tap on her shoulder.

Chad smirked. "Told you I'd get in."

* * *

**A/N: **I don't know why, but this idea came to me all of a sudden. I'm not sure if I should continue. Just wanted to get it out there :p Tell me if you liked it (or not) in a review.

And be sure to look out for another story of mine: "Yearning For Tomorrow" Yeah, I'm working on it now, but it's a re-make of the whole "Groundhog Day" movie theme. It'll be out soon! (Hopefully)


	2. Chapter 2

"Chad, Chad!"

He turned around smiling, hearing her familiar voice. It had been three weeks since he had first started protecting her and so far it had been nothing but surprising.

The slender girl who looked like she could be blown away in the breeze could actually _fight_. He learned that when he had escorted her to one of her daily lessons. He hadn't been sure for what, exactly, but it was made crystal clear when she had bowed respectfully to her teacher and then proceeded to kick his butt. He was stunned.

Apparently she had been learning since she was five.

It wasn't just her fighting skills that impressed him - she was also fluent in Italian, French, Spanish and Chinese. She had studied all four languages since she could remember.

She was well versed and could hold up an intelligent conversation, as well as be quite charming and funny. She had an interesting sense of humor, he learned, after being the butt of her jokes more than once.

Despite all this, there was still something 'off' about her. Behind her laughter and her cheery disposition, there was something that was terribly sad. Sometimes he saw it when she was gazing out a window or when she was lost in thought. There were times when her eyes didn't sparkle as brightly as they usually would. And for some odd reason he'd hate that more than anything. He would find himself growing angry at the fact that something was making _her_ upset. He wanted to know what it was, but he never had courage to ask her.

"Chad?"

He blinked. "Yes, sorry. What is it Ms. Sonny?" She smiled and motioned for him to hold his hand out. He glared suspiciously. "...This isn't yet another frog or something, is it?"

Giggling, she shook her head. "Mm-mm."

He held his hand out and she placed something small in the palm of his hand. "What is it?"

"I finally had a key made for you. You know, the secret entrance," she grinned, whispering the last part of what she said.

He smirked. "About time. Now Ms. Sonny, what is the agenda for today?"

She made a face. "Don't call me Ms. Sonny, that's just too weird. And I don't know. I finished my lessons earlier. Let's just go for a walk," she offered.

He nodded. "Of course, where are we going to?"

"Anywhere." She grabbed her coat and started making her way down the stairs. He followed her, lagging a few steps behind.

"Where is anywhere? We should have a destination," he stated, as he held the door open for her. "I need to notify your mother on your location at all times."

"Anywhere, anywhere...Anywhere is _anywhere. _You don't have to tell my mother. Just tell her we're going to the park. I want to get out from under her radar for just a little," she said quietly, as they made their way down the paved road.

"I'm afraid I can't do that Sonny," he said, keeping pace with her. "I could get fired."

She shrugged as they walked along the street. "Chad, it doesn't always have to be about the destination. Don't you see? It can be about the journey!" she cheered, gesturing to the clear blue sky and the chirping of the birds.

"The journey...?" he muttered. He did a quick 360 and shook his head. "The journey is dangerous. It's where you could get hurt. The destination is where you will be safe and I can be sure I can protect you."

She frowned slightly and looked over at him. "Everything is dangerous. _Life_ is dangerous. But that doesn't mean we stay secluded in our homes and hide from the world. There's a risk to everything - a risk to breathing, to living, to loving..." she trailed of quietly and looked away.

"I guess so. But my job is to protect you from harm, and the journey usually means there will be people who will try to stop us from reaching our destination. And I can't let that happen," he said firmly, still keeping a stern look out.

Sighing, she exclaimed, "You need to learn how to live! Life can be scary, true, but there are so many wonderful things about it as well. Do you see that?" She pointed briefly in the direction of a little boy and his mother. "See? Look at them. Look at the boy and his mom. They're so happy, isn't that wonderful? You can see the pure joy on their faces - that's what life is about."

"But Sonny, you're different. You're the daughter of a diplomat - an incredibly rich business woman. That little boy has it good - there are most likely no 'bad' guys trying to kidnap him for ransom. You, on the other hand, require a bodyguard to protect you 24/7. I can't leave your side for a moment for fear someone will make off with you. I don't get a moment to myself, even when I'm off for the day because I have to be at the ready lest something happens to you," he stated.

She stopped in mid-step and glared at him.

"What is it now?" he sighed.

"I'm _so_ sorry you have to be my eternal babysitter. It must really suck to be with a spoiled brat like me. And it must really suck to be raking in the cash that you're getting."

"Look, Sonny, I didn't-"

"No. It may be a hardship to you and a waste of your time to be with me," she paused, gathering her thoughts. And then in a softer voice, "But I enjoy your company."

He did his best to suppress a smile, "You enjoy my company?"

She grunted, turning away from him. "Yeah but you're a jerk so I take it back."

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come off as if it was some burden to be with you. I have to be honest, I enjoy your company as well," he smiled, touching her shoulder lightly.

She looked up at him, blushing at the first tender physical contact they had ever had. "R-Really?"

He pulled away, nodding. "Really."

She smiled up at him and he was momentarily at a loss for words. He hadn't noticed how beautiful she was when the sun's rays gently cascaded down on her soft curls and bright face. Coughing slightly, he pulled out his phone and dialed Ms. Munroe's number. "Yes ma'am, I'm sorry to bother you. I just wanted to update you on our location. We are currently heading to the park and we'll be home by dusk. Yes, yes. Of course. Yes, you too. Goodbye." He hung up and smirked. "So let's go on this journey, shall we?"

"I don't want to go to the park."

"We're not. We're going 'anywhere'."

She smiled once again. "Can we get ice cream?"

"Ben and Jerry's?"

"What else?"

He quickly scanned the area again and nodded. They started to walk in comfortable silence, listening to the laughter that was going on around them and enjoying each other's company.

They arrived quickly at the ice cream parlor and Sonny squealed happily, running ahead. "Look! I think they have Reese's!"

He chuckled and followed her. "What are you, a five year old? What do you want, a cup or a cone?"

"Cone, duh."

He rolled his eyes and they got their ice cream. He walked her over to a bench and sat down next to her as she ate giddily. "You're really easy to please," he commented, smirking slightly. "Just buy you an ice cream and you're good to go."

She shrugged, licking her ice cream slowly. "I know I live pretty well, but I don't forget the simpler things in life. It's _those_ things that really bring happiness and memories. Not material goods."

"I concur," he said, smirking.

"Chad?"

"Hm?"

"Forget it."

He frowned and looked at her sternly. "What is it?

"Nope nope, nothing," she smiled.

"Sonny Munroe, tell me."

She raised an eyebrow. "You're not my mom."

"I'll make you tell me."

"How?"

He paused for a moment, contemplating. "I'll eat your ice cream."

She gasped in mock horror. "You wouldn't."

"I would and I will."

"I don't believe you," she said, gripping her cone tighter and licking it more quickly. He leaned in threateningly and she blushed lightly, slowing her licking process. He smirked and took a quick bite of her ice cream. "Chad!"

"I told you I would. Now tell me what you were going to say."

She sighed. "Don't laugh at me, okay?" He nodded. "I was wondering...do you have a girlfriend?"

He looked at her and started laughing. "You think I'd be able to have a girlfriend when I'm with you all the time? She'd be seething with jealousy if she knew I was spending my time with you."

She frowned. "Well have you _ever_ had a girlfriend?"

"Nope, I never managed to get the time. I was too busy studying or training."

Her brow furrowed. "Have you ever _liked_ a girl?"

"What's with all the questions Sonny?"

"Just answer it."

"...Yes, I've liked a few girls. But then I found out they were petty tramps and I moved on."

"Define 'tramp'."

"The girls I liked seemed nice at first and they were all very pretty. But they had no brains - I couldn't hold a conversation with them. It turns out that all they ever wanted was sex," he replied coolly.

She blushed at the thought, and before she could stop herself she blurted out her next question, "Have you ever had sex?"

He smirked. "You mean, am I a virgin?"

"Exactly."

He leaned in and whispered softly in her ear. "What do _you_ think?" She pulled away slightly flustered. His hot breath on her earlobe was more enticing than she had imagined. Being so close to him made her heart beat erratically and the butterflies in stomach flit about. What _was_ this feeling?

"Let's go home," she said suddenly, standing up and stretching. She took the last bite of her ice cream and threw the napkin away.

He laughed. "You alright? You look a little red."

"I'm fine," she huffed, walking ahead.

He raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Good."

"Good."

"Fine."

"FINE."

They both turned away to suppress their smiles.


	3. Chapter 3

He lay quietly in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He had been up since the crack of dawn the day before and yet he still wasn't the least bit tired. His body was begging for a rest but his mind kept him awake. Getting up, he decided to exercise a little and hopefully tire himself out.

Chad started in on push-ups in sets of tens, counting silently to himself as he worked his body harder and harder. He huffed lightly, thinking about the girl he was protecting.

She was something he couldn't describe. Everything about her was hard to explain. She was simple, yet beautiful, complex and elegant at the same time. Her smile was soft, but charming and luminous as well. Her demeanor could be incredibly reserved or surprisingly outgoing. She seemed like a fragile, weak girl, while in fact she could beat up men twice her size. She was pampered but she could still enjoy the simplicities of life. He expected her to be a spoiled brat and instead she was grateful for everything she had as well as being polite, kind, funny and smart.

He remembered earlier that day, when they had been laughing about something he couldn't even remember. She had a certain charm about her that made him want to hug her and keep her as his own. Unfortunately he hadn't been able to, they had been interrupted by a phone call for Sonny. He had seen her joyful expression when she greeted the person on the other end and without realizing it, he was grinning just like her. But then her bright smile fell and her face saddened, only for her to turn away from him. In that moment, he would have done anything to make her happy again.

What was this? He found himself wanting to impress her at times. He liked when he made her smile and laugh. But whatever he was feeling for her was wrong. He was supposed to be her bodyguard - nothing less and nothing more.

Suddenly he stopped, standing up and frowning. He wiped the sweat from his brow and went over to his bed, reaching under his pillow and grabbing his gun. Something was different. He sensed a disturbance, but he wasn't sure what. He pulled on his jacket and hid his gun in the inner pocket of his coat, approaching the door and pulling it open.

He carefully stepped into the hallway. It was dark but his eyes quickly adjusted. Holding his breath, he listened. Snapping his head in the direction of the noise, he tightened his grip on his gun and went forward. The soft noise was coming from _her_ room. Within moments he was in front of her door, one hand positioned on the doorknob and the other on the trigger of his gun. Quietly, he turned the knob and pushed the door open. His eyes immediately scoped the room for Sonny, resting upon a lone figure sitting on the windowsill. He sighed with relief, loosening his hold on his gun and stepping forward.

"Sonny?" he called quietly. "Sonny? Is everything okay?"

She looked up with swollen eyes from her spot at the window, having seemed to be lost in thought. She quickly rubbed her eyes and swallowed, "Chad? What are you doing here?"

"I...felt like something was wrong. I heard something and just wanted to check in on you. Make sure everything is alright. Have you...been crying?" he said, studying her face carefully.

Sonny frowned, biting her lip nervously and re-wiped her eyes. "What, these? No no, just allergies. Pollen, you know."

"Funny," smirked Chad, raising an eyebrow. "Your mom didn't say anything about allergies to pollen when she was listing what you were allergic to." He went over to her nightstand and plucked a tissue from a Kleenex box. "Here you go, madam," he offered teasingly, handing it to her.

"Th-Thanks," she stammered, taking the tissue and blowing her nose. "You can go now."

"Why were you crying?" he questioned, ignoring what she had said. "What's wrong?" He sat down across from her.

"I don't want to talk about it," she answered simply, gazing through the window.

He sighed. "Come on, we've known each other for awhile now. Tell me."

"No. Leave."

Rolling his eyes, he said more firmly, "Tell me now."

She furrowed her brow and he looked at her curiously. "No. You're not my therapist, Chad. I don't need you to baby me. You don't know anything about the complexities of my life. You don't get what it's like to be me. You don't understand the pressure I'm under to be the perfect little daughter my mother needs me to be. You don't get anything. In fact, you're just paid to sit around and 'guard' me when in fact there's no danger whatsoever. I'm capable of defending myself. I don't need you."

He was taken aback by her sudden outburst. Frowning, he stood up. "I'm not your therapist, true. But I was trying to be your friend. Friends tell each other what's on their minds. I was only trying to help. But my apologies, _ma'am_, I won't overstep my boundaries again. As your bodyguard, whether you like it or not, I will be here to ensure your physical well-being," he stated stonily, a feeling of hot anger swelling in his stomach. What was with this sudden attitude change? She had turned from being this amazing girl to a snot-nosed brat. "Pardon my intrusion," he spat, storming out of her room and back into his.

He heard her door slam and he huffed, throwing himself on his bed and staring at the ceiling once again. He was back where he started but now he was feeling annoyed and bothered by Sonny's little temper tantrum. What was up with her? He had only tried to be friendly. Wasn't that what girls liked? When guys wanted to 'talk' about feelings?

Eventually Chad dozed off, still thinking about the darkened ray of light. But when dawn approached, he was already up and ready to go, having only slept a few hours.

Chad headed downstairs, sitting at the table and nodding in acknowledgement to the other servants. They nodded back politely, bringing him his breakfast. He quickly ate it, finding himself more hungry than he had realized.

After his second coffee, he called over one of the maids. "I'm sorry, I never caught your name?"

The dark-haired maid looked up and smiled, "Portlyn."

"Right, Portlyn. Do me a favor?"

"Yes sir."

"Go up to Ms. Sonny's room and call her down for breakfast. She's late."

Portlyn looked torn for a moment and then shook her head. "I'm sorry sir, I'm afraid Ms. Sonny doesn't feel well and does not want to come down today...I thought someone told you this."

"What? No. No one said a word," grunted Chad, standing up and throwing down his napkin. "She doesn't tell me anything," he muttered, moving swiftly out of the room.

"Sir-"

Chad turned around, glaring. "_I'm_ her bodyguard. I don't care if she doesn't like it, I'm supposed to protect her until my contract is over," he stated, storming out and up the stairs to Sonny's room.

Without a moment's hesitation, he barged through the door and looked around, annoyed. To his surprise, her room was a mess from when he had left it in the early morning hours. Her bed was undone and pillows were on the floor. Her neatly arranged books were now scattered across the floor and her clothes had been tossed aside. Sonny was no where to be seen.

A feeling of worry slowly started to twist up into his chest as he looked around for the missing girl. He picked through the items on the ground and shook his head in disbelief. Where could she have gone? He quickly went over to her 'secret door' and pulled on it, surprised to see it unlocked. So she had left this way without anyone knowing? Why would she do that?

He made his way down the creaky stairs and found himself in the hallway near the games room.

A servant passed by and he grabbed her arm. "You, have you seen Sonny?" he demanded gruffly.

"No sir, I haven't," replied the servant meekly.

Chad let go and moved on, growing more worried.

Where the hell was she?


	4. Chapter 4

_"Hi! This is Sonny. To whom am I speaking with?"_

_"Hey sweetie, it's your old man. Remember me?"_

_"Yes...hi, Dad. What do you want?"_

_"Why do you always think I want somethin'? Maybe I just wanted to say hi. I hate how you're always accusin' your old man of stuff."_

_"Dad. I'm busy. I have to go. If there isn't anything that you need then-"_

_"Hold up there, sugarplum. Is it your mom? She's always been such a hag with a stick up 'er ass. Pressurin' you and makin' you do all that hard shit. It ain't fair. You're a kid. You deserve to be a kid and live how you want, y'know?"_

_"Please don't talk about mom that way."_

_"Ah, fuck it. She's done her brainwashin' bullshit on you. You gotta break free, cupcake."_

_"Yes, dad. Alright, sure. What is it that you needed again?"_

_"Don't use that tone with me, Allison. I'm your old man. Show me some respect."_

_"Sorry, father."_

_"Anyways, your dad does need something, sweetie."_

_"What is it this time?"_

_"One grand, tonight. Latest, tomorrow morning."_

_"A thousand dollars? Why do you need so much this time?"_

_"Daddy's gotten himself into a bit of a pickle. Y'know. But I can rely on my little princess to help her old man out, can't I?"_

_"Dad. That's a lot of money. I'm not sure I can get all of it by tonight."_

_"Tomorrow morning, then. I need it ASAP or my neck's on the line. You don't want that, do you?"_

_"...No. I'll do my best."_

_"Of course you will, sunshine. I'll meet you at the regular place?"_

_"...Yes."_

_"You love your old man, don't you, Sonny?"_

_"I do, dad."_

_"Always, sweet cheeks?"_

_"Always, dad."_

_"I'll talk to you later, kiddo. Remember, tonight."_

_"Tonight. Bye, dad."_

_

* * *

_

She sat quietly in her room, flipping through photo albums of her family when she was only four. It had been her mom, dad and herself. Just them, one happy family. She was smiling in all of the pictures and her parents always looked as if they emanated nothing but love. These pictures had been taken only months before her mother had taken over as CEO of a company she had basically founded. Her father had promptly lost his job and, in the face of such power from his wife, resorted to gambling and drinking as a hobby. He felt like a nothing compared to Connie Munroe, and hated himself for it. Soon, he took up drugs as well.

That was the breaking point. Connie Munroe wanted a divorce. And not only that, she wanted to isolate her daughter from his bad habits. She didn't want his influence on Sonny and was successful in receiving full custody. However, she had not been able to cut off his visitation rights and every couple of weeks, Sonny had to meet with him for two hours.

It was then that weird things started happening. The Munroe household started to receive death threats, usually aimed towards little Sonny. Ms. Munroe quickly moved with her daughter to a more modern home with greater security. She hired servants and butlers who also served as bodyguards. As Sonny grew up, though, she had to hire actual bodyguards in order to protect her daughter fully. The threats would pile up at times and dwindle out at others.

Sonny sighed, trying to bite back her tears. Although she had been so young when this happened, she remembered things well. She had loved her dad and at the time, she was confused as to why she had to part with him. Sometimes, she just wanted to go back to the simpler days.

Wiping a rebellious tear, she put away the photo album and walked over to her bedroom window, leaning lightly against the sill. She looked out at the twinkling stars and for some odd reason, it was then that her emotional dam broke loose and she was overcome with sobs. The pressure of being a perfect daughter for her mother was growing on her. Although she was happy a lot of the times, it felt like more weight was being added to the ever larger list of expectations.

And to top it all off, her dad had called earlier that afternoon asking for money again. It wasn't the first time and it most definitely wouldn't be the last. He would incur debts from his gambling, drinking and drug fests and then call her secretly in dire need of quick cash. She had started a private fund just for him, putting away money for whenever he called upon her. No one knew about it and she had to keep it that way.

Where was she going to come up with the money she needed now? She had to get one thousand dollars by the morning. She felt overwhelmed and the tears streamed down her pale cheeks.

She heard a creak at her door and had only a moment to try to compose herself before the door swung open.

"Sonny?" It was him. The one person she didn't want to have see her like this. Her eyes felt puffy and she knew she looked like a mess. The new bodyguard was the farthest thing on her mind right now. "Sonny? Is everything okay?"

She managed to swallow her pride and look him straight in the eye, "Chad? What are you doing here?"

"I...felt like something was wrong. I heard something and just wanted to check in on you. Make sure everything is alright. Have you...been crying?" he said, watching her intently. She felt nervous in front of him, especially like this.

Furrowing her brow and trying her best to look natural, she said, "What, these? No no, just allergies. Pollen, you know."

"Funny, your mom didn't say anything about allergies to pollen when she was listing what you were allergic to." She watched him go over to her nightstand and take a tissue, walking back over to her and offering it. "Here you go, madam." A cocky smile graced his face.

"Th-Thanks," she stammered, taking the tissue and blowing her nose. She hated him looking at her when she felt so wretched. "You can go now."

"Why were you crying?" he asked, ignoring what she had said. "What's wrong?" He sat down across from her.

"I don't want to talk about it," she answered simply. She looked back out the window, praying he'd take the hint and just leave.

"Come on, we've known each other for awhile now. Tell me." He was being an annoying bug on the windshield of her life.

"No. Leave."

"Tell me now."

Before she knew it, she was spewing venom at him that was uncharacteristic of her. But right now, her emotions had been brewing and exploded in an uncontrollable geyser of unprecedented rage. "No. You're not my therapist, Chad. I don't need you to baby me. You don't know anything about the complexities of my life. You don't get what it's like to be me. You don't understand the pressure I'm under to be the perfect little daughter my mother needs me to be. You don't get anything. In fact, you're just paid to sit around and 'guard' me when in fact there's no danger whatsoever. I'm capable of defending myself. I don't need you." She regretted the words the second they left her hurtful lips.

She could see that she had wounded his ego. "I'm not your therapist, true. But I was trying to be your friend. Friends tell each other what's on their minds. I was only trying to help. But my apologies, _ma'am_, I won't overstep my boundaries again. As your bodyguard, whether you like it or not, I will be here to ensure your physical well-being." And with that, he stormed out. She stood up and slammed the door behind him, locking it quickly and leaning against it.

She couldn't believe what she had said. Those hateful words were so unexpected. It wasn't like her. Immediately, a feeling of guilt twisted up through her stomach and to her chest. For a minute, she considered opening the door and running after him, apologizing avidly. But, collecting herself, she knew she didn't have the time.

She went under her bed and pulled out a metal box. Taking out a key from a jar she also kept hidden, she unlocked the box and pulled out her money. She had saved up about $750. She needed $250 more.

Standing up, Sonny started tearing through her room. She was hoping that she might have stored money elsewhere. She flipped through some old books and found a couple of dollars. She tore through her closet, checking pockets for any cash. She uprooted just about everything, only to come up with about $50 and some change.

A feeling of panic started to consume her. She needed more - but how? Growing more desperate, she got out her jewelry box and sighed. Maybe the men who were holding her father responsible for the money would accept her necklaces and bracelets as a compromise for the last $200. It was the only way she was going to be able to come up with the money. It was her best shot.

Grabbing her least favorite pendants and accessories, she stuffed the money and the jewelry into a satin satchel. She went through her closet and pulled on her coat, grabbing her house keys and the bag, leaving quietly through her private set of stairs.

Her heart was racing as she sneaked out of the house and through the backyard, making her way to the back entrance of the estate. She crept up to the back gate and glanced at her watch. It was time.

"Dad?" she called out in a harsh whisper. "Dad, are you there?" She waited a few moments in silence. Then, she heard the soft crunch of gravel as footsteps drew closer.

"Cupcake, where are you?"

She heaved a quiet sigh and stepped closer to the gate. "I'm right here."

Within moments, she was face-to-face with her father. He was a tall man with dark brown hair like her own. She glanced up at him and gave him a small smile. Whenever she looked at him, she remembered what he had been like before the drugs and alcohol. He had been a kind, funny man who was passionate about life and incredibly intelligent. Since she was little she had secretly admired him; now it was strange seeing the man before her and knowing he wasn't the same. He was not the father she had grown up with as a little girl.

"You have the cash, sweetie?" he asked calmly.

She nodded and stuck the satchel through the gate in her tight fist. "I could only come up with $800, dad. I'm sorry. But I brought some gold jewelry and things that should make up for the last $200." She searched his face for his reaction.

"$800? I need a grand, princess. I told you that. I need the cold, hard cash. Not some cheap necklaces your mom gave you," he frowned, taking the bag and opening it up.

"It was such short notice, I-"

"Don't you love your dad, Sonny? This...it might not fly with the people I'm dealing with. This isn't good. When I tell you what I need, I mean it exactly!" he spat, shaking his head and tying up the bag again.

She furrowed her brow and bit her lip nervously. "I'm sorry, I only saved up that much. It...was just so much this time. Usually you only as for a couple hundred."

There was a low beep. "Hold it," her father coughed, taking out his phone. He turned his back to her and answered quickly. "Hello? No...I wasn't. I have $800 and some jewelry, though. I know, but it was short notice, sir. The jewelry will make up for the missing cash. Yes sir. I know. I'm sorry. Yes...of course. Thank you." He hung up and turned around again. "You're lucky, princess. My boss'll accept this. But next time, do what I tell you and give me exactly what I say." He stuffed the bag into his pocket.

Sonny looked down and nodded. "Alright. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry next time."

She nodded again.

"Hey, come on. What's wrong kiddo?" He reached through the gate and grabbed her hand, squeezing it lightly. "Cheer up, just next time listen to me. That's all. It's okay. Smile, babe."

Sonny tiredly looked up and forced a smile. "Okay."

"You and me, kiddo?"

"You and me, dad."

"Atta girl," he grinned and released her hand. "I got to go," he said, turning and walking off.

"Will I see you soon?" she called after him.

He simply raised his hand in response and left.


End file.
